Science behind the RSS Shakha

Dr Wahengbam Rorrkychand Singh *

Youth camp by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Manipur Prant in February 2018 :: Pix - TSE

The RSS has completed more than one hundred years of its journey. Very few organisations in the world with a membership as large as RSS have continued for such a long period while steadily expanding from a small beginning.

According to figures presented during the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of RSS, the organisation today has more than 83,000 Shakhas across the country, along with thousands of Milan programmes and Sewa activities.

Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, established the organisation in 1925 with the vision of national awakening through disciplined and organised social work. At the centre of this vision was the Sangh Shakha, a practical and time-tested method of building disciplined individuals and creating organised social strength.

The Sarsanghchalak of RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, during an interaction with distinguished social leaders on November 20, 2025 in Imphal, said that to understand RSS and its ideology, one must experience Sangh Shakha—the foundation of RSS—which represents the journey from Vyakti Nirman (individual character building) to Desh Kalyan (national welfare and transformation). Since the establishment of RSS in 1925, the modality of Shakha has remained largely unchanged.

Even after completing more than one hundred years, it continues with the same spirit, discipline and purpose, and remains the enduring foundation of the Sangh.

A Sangh Shakha is a one-hour daily gathering of RSS swayamsevaks before the sacred Bhagwa Dhwaj. During the Shakha, activities such as sharirik (physical exercises), baud-dhik (intellectual discussion), khel (games), geet (songs) and subhashit are conducted.

The science behind these activities lies in the total synchronisation of mind, body and heart. The Shakha teaches how to grow together, how to support weakness within society, and how to develop the strength and confidence to face stronger challenges. It provides swayamsevaks an opportunity to showcase talent, build team spirit, nurture discipline and develop leadership. Through geet, bauddhik and subha- shit, values of patriotism and nationalism are instilled.

For a swayamsevak, Shakha becomes both a sadhana and an aradhana for Mother India, and the values learnt there are reflected in daily life and in society.

At the centre of the Shakha stands the Bhagwa Dhwaj, symbolising sacrifice, discipline and national consciousness. In an open playground, swayamsevaks of different age groups participate in indigenous games, Suryanamaskar, physical exercises and at times traditional danda training.

Uninhibited joy fills the atmosphere, yet every activity is conducted with discipline and coordination. The physical activities are followed by patriotic songs and discussions on national events and social concerns.

The day’s activity concludes with swayamsevaks assembling in orderly rows before the Bhagwa Dhwaj at a single whistle and reciting the Sangh prayer “Namaste Sada Vatsale Matru-bhoome” (“O ever- affectionate Motherland, I bow to you”), followed by “Victory to Mother India.” The prayer as well as the commands during the Shakha are traditionally given in Sanskrit.

This, in essence, is the Shakha of RSS. For the Sangh, it has remained the most effective and time-tested instrument for moulding individuals on patriotic lines, extending far beyond physical exercise. The Shakha process is further strengthened through graded training camps known as Sangh Shiksha Varg, organised regularly at provincial and national levels.

RSS also encourages collective observance of six important festivals of National and social signifi- cance—Varsha Pratipada, Hindu Samrajya Diwas, Guru Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, Vijayadashami and Makara Sankranti—which strengthen cultural awareness and social unity.

In contemporary society, where rapid change, growing individualism and technological influence often reduce direct social interaction, the relevance of the Shakha remains significant.

It continues to offer a physical and social space where people meet directly, build trust across communities, develop discipline and strengthen collective responsibility. At the same time, it connects traditional values with present-day realities and encourages organised service to society.

For RSS, therefore, the Shakha is not merely a daily gathering. It remains a living process of character building, social organisation and national service. Even after completing more than one hundred years, it continues as the enduring foundation of the Sangh—where Vyakti Nirman leads to Samaj Nirman, and ultimately to Rashtra Nirman.